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Face the Facts (2008) Education Resource
Activity 6: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – Web Quest
This Web Quest is designed to lead students through a series of steps to enable them to locate, analyse and synthesise information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the reconciliation process in Australia in order to construct a response and reflect on their learning. They will also develop valuable skills in web research and writing proposals.
This activity can be used in the classroom when adequate computer resources are available, or alternatively, set as a homework or individual assignment where more appropriate.
Step 1 – Class Discussion
Building on the knowledge students have identified in the B-D-A activity, teachers should engage students in a short classroom discussion to clarify the definitions they have discovered. During the discussion it is important to establish a working definition of the word ‘reconciliation’ and the importance/relevance of reconciliation in Australia today.
During the discussion teachers should ensure that students have gained an awareness of:
- some of the important events in Australia’s history in relation to reconciliation including Reconciliation Week and ‘Sorry Day,’ the establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and the National Apology
- the history of government policies on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including the separation of Indigenous children from their families, self-determination, and native title
- what a Reconciliation Action Plan is.
Step 2 – Online research and proposal writing
Using Face the Facts – Questions and Answers about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as a starting point, students are asked to work together to undertake online research on the reconciliation process in Australia.
During this activity, students must access a range of different web resources to gather information to present in their report.
Following the class discussion, students form small groups and take on the role of committee member. Each group must use online resources to research the reconciliation process in Australia. The following outline has been included on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – Web Quest worksheet.
Scenario
You are a member of a committee established to report back on the reconciliation process in Australia to your local council.
1. Identify important events during the reconciliation process at both a local and national level.
2. Plan an event or some other form of celebration to mark the importance of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in your community (use your findings to justify your decisions).
3. Present a short proposal to your local council. Include the background information you identified in questions 1 and 2 to support your proposal.
Step 3 – Planning a Reconciliation Event
In the final step, students are asked to plan a reconciliation event for their local community. During this stage, students must identify how the issue of reconciliation relates to them and their community and addresses some of the issues which were identified in Steps 1 and 2.
Using their research as a starting point, students must plan an event (or some other form of celebration) for their community which highlights the importance of ongoing reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Some key questions to assist students in structuring the presentations are provided:
- How does your proposal promote reconciliation in the Australian community?
- How will you consult with local Indigenous peoples when planning your event?
- How will you involve the local Indigenous community in your event?
- Where will you stage the event?
- What form will the event take?
- What special guests have you arranged and why?
- How will you advertise it?
- How do you see the event will be accepted by the Indigenous community/the non-Indigenous community?
Students should be encouraged to be creative when planning their event and could organise:
- an art exhibition which explores ideas about reconciliation
- a sculpture or some other community art project to be installed in your local park or mall
- an Indigenous cultural day, where traditional foods and customs are observed
- a statement about reconciliation which can be displayed in your classroom or school
- a photo collection with images which illustrate important events in the reconciliation process in Australia.
Dependent upon learning objectives and resources available, teachers may wish to undertake to hold a reconciliation event at their school to conclude this activity.
Additional resource
A useful resource for exploring the issue of reconciliation is http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp.
